The Civil Conflict!

[freescooter]

Sadly I think 0 is way more likely than 6. And 0 is really hard to achieve. Some other craptastic team quits, some pretty good team looks ahead, you get one of those games where neither side wants or deserves to win but someone has to...0 wins is very hard. But more likely than a bowl for UConn

 

[Husky25]

Geezus, Diaco didn't have to go 1,500 miles to find a rival. All he had to do is look behind the bench. UConn is so good, they've built a rivalry with their own fans. I'm no full-on idealist, but it must take some kind of effort to be this negative.

 

[Perfect Hair]

The level of analysis drops precipitously once you leave the Top 25. It's flat out invisible past #100. I believe there is little difference in talent between #'s 50-70, where bowl teams reside and the bottom. There is only a difference in resources and attitude. UCONN has the resources, it's up to Bob to deliver the attitude.

If you're not expecting a bowl game in the AAC, you should just give up and go home. If this team plays better than it did against USF, Army, ECU, Tulane and SMU, then 6 wins is easier than you think.

Short version is show up committed to play smart, tough, mistake free FB, and go bowling. That's all there is to it really.

You truly have no idea how Vegas and oddmakers work, do you? Do some homework and go look up last year's over/unders and find out how many teams went over (or under) their number by 4 games.

 

[whaler11]

Football 101 while a good idea is like giving someone credit for having a car... the wheels were invented a while back.

And Nostical has the over....

 

[whaler11]

I'n not in the mood to do the math but they probably have a 2% chance
of winning zero and a 10% chance of winning 6.

That 50-70 are equal doesn't really apply. They are somewhere between 95-105.

 

[Perfect Hair]

I'n not in the mood to do the math but they probably have a 2% chance
of winning zero and a 10% chance of winning 6.

That 50-70 are equal doesn't really apply. They are somewhere between 95-105.

But does Nostical have the over?

 

[junglehusky]

3 games is probably right where the o/u should be. Subb's argument is more applicable to a longer term picture of where UConn should be viewed in FBS, taking into account the BE years and the program's potential to (hopefully) get back to that level. The damage from PP and possibly from Diaco's teardown year is too deep to trot out the "hey we can pull 3 wins from the games that will be tossups" line. So, probably no bowl this year, if the team manages to catch enough breaks and have enough development to go bowling it will be a truly pleasant surprise, for a change.

 

[BlueDogs]

I guess you didn't get the memo no potential recruits, their coaches or their parents read thses sites, no big deal.

??? I didn't write the article. I'm quite sure the damage is done and can be easily found by those seeking out info.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

That Jacobs is taking exception to the trophy and to Diaco tells me that we may well have the right head coach. I also like the fact that he picked out the football team that has been at the top of the totem pole from day one in this conference, not one that is dragging along in the basement.

One thing that I keep thinking is that if we tried something like this ten years ago (when it could easily have been justified with Syracuse, Pitt or even Rutgers) we'd be in a far better conference today. The press we've received from this is incredible. As goofy as the idea may seem, I really don't see why some people are getting so bent out of shape. People who didn't even know we played football have been talking about us.

Finally, there really is no reason to get worked up about the trophy. There have been a few that appeared over the past dozen seasons for no reason beyond conference realignment creating new regular pairings (Pitt started the River Rivalry with Cincinnati for example) and the realities are that a) most college football fans can't name 75% of the trophies that many of these games are played for and b) the biggest ones (Michigan-Ohio St, Army-Navy, USC-UCLA & Oklahoma-Nebraska until the creation of the B-12 ruined it) never had a trophy or a name and the rivalry that has all of the above beaten in terms of history; Yale-Harvard, has been very creatively named 'The Game'. In the big picture if a matchup does or does not have a name and/or trophy is really of little significance.

 

[BlueDogs]

3 games is probably right where the o/u should be. Subb's argument is more applicable to a longer term picture of where UConn should be viewed in FBS, taking into account the BE years and the program's potential to (hopefully) get back to that level. The damage from PP and possibly from Diaco's teardown year is too deep to trot out the "hey we can pull 3 wins from the games that will be tossups" line. So, probably no bowl this year, if the team manages to catch enough breaks and have enough development to go bowling it will be a truly pleasant surprise, for a change.

I think BD needs to get to 4 wins or the coach's seat is going to get awful hot. 3 games and under and I think the program takes another hit. We were 3-9 in the last year of the PP nightmare (mind you the 3 wins came from interim HC TJW who remains arguably the most successful coach since 2010 despite his short 8 game tenure). I keep wondering what would things have looked like with Weist. He had the right stuff to turn around the program and it was showing.

 

[Stainmaster]

I think BD needs to get to 4 wins or the coach's seat is going to get awful hot.

The seat very well may be hot with a Villanova loss. Definitely if we cough up Villanova+Army.

 

[06029]

Sadly I think 0 is way more likely than 6. And 0 is really hard to achieve. Some other craptastic team quits, some pretty good team looks ahead, you get one of those games where neither side wants or deserves to win but someone has to...0 wins is very hard. But more likely than a bowl for UConn

Holy shit. I think I am a realist and don't see a bowl game as a possibility this year but a goose egg? A 10% increase in 3 rd down efficiency, a 10% increase in passing yards, a 10% drop in sacks, a flat line on overall D, and you are at 4 wins. If the guys can coach, you get there. And that is a positive step for this program at this time. Fake rivalry notwithstanding.

 

[Northbound]

Geezus, Diaco didn't have to go 1,500 miles to find a rival. All he had to do is look behind the bench. UConn is so good, they've built a rivalry with their own fans. I'm no full-on idealist, but it must take some kind of effort to be this negative.

This is awesome. I literally just bust out laughing on the Amtrak. But seriously XHCPP kicked the fan base square in the Schwontz, so the feeling whle unfortunate, is somewhat warranted. HCBD perfoance in year one likely didn't meet the expectations of most fans so it's forgivable that confidence is low and animosity is high.

 

[junglehusky]

This is awesome. I literally just bust out laughing on the Amtrak. But seriously XHCPP kicked the fan base square in the Schwontz, so the feeling whle unfortunate, is somewhat warranted. HCBD perfoance in year one likely didn't meet the expectations of most fans so it's forgivable that confidence is low and animosity is high.

On Amtrack going north, presumably...

 

[freescooter]

I don't see any chance of this team getting to 6 wins. 3 will be a stretch based on what we saw last year. Name 6 teams on the schedule you see us beating. Army, USF are at best toss ups. Anyone seriously think we deserve to be favored over Villanover? We will be but only because it is the way these things work. If we go 0-2 out of the gate we might be seeing signs that say "Pasqualoni please come back." That's if there are any fans there to hold them.

 

[CL82]

If we go 0-2 out of the gate we might be seeing signs that say "Pasqualoni please come back."

No.

Diaco would be looking a whole lot better right now if he wasn't the successor to the Pasqualoni train wreck. I'm not saying that Diaco is the right guy for us, nor am I saying that he isn't. It is still too soon to tell. But the steaming pile of crap that Pasqualoni left behind would have made anyone look bad. Now I'm not talking about our guys. I am talking about the lack of conditioning, the lack of cohesiveness, the confusion about assignments, etc. Pasqualoni left us with a world class mess.

 

[freescooter]

Not sure I buy that totally. After all, that world class mess ended 2013 on not just a 3 game win streak but 3 games where they looked like a pretty good football team under Weist. Then Diaco arrived treated the season like a jv season and told us what a bad job his predecessor did. I'm not sayin P didn't leave a mess but based on what happened under Weist I'm not sure Diaco didn't just make it worse with his mad professor bit.

 

[CL82]

Not sure I buy that totally. After all, that world class mess ended 2013 on not just a 3 game win streak but 3 games where they looked like a pretty good football team under Weist. Then Diaco arrived treated the season like a jv season and told us what a bad job his predecessor did. I'm not sayin P didn't leave a mess but based on what happened under Weist I'm not sure Diaco didn't just make it worse with his mad professor bit.

It took TJ what six games to get that first win. I thought he did a great job righting the ship but he was managing the program for short term results and Diaco is managing for long term results. At least theoretically, Diaco had to tear down to build back up. Given that, last season was going to be a rough ride...and it was, painfully rough. I'm not sold on Bob but I haven't given up on him either. This season will tell us a lot.

(As an aside, I find it ironic that TJ might well have been a top candidate for the UConn HC job, if he hadn't taken the job as an assistant here.)

 

[Husky25]

Not sure I buy that totally. After all, that world class mess ended 2013 on not just a 3 game win streak but 3 games where they looked like a pretty good football team under Weist. Then Diaco arrived treated the season like a jv season and told us what a bad job his predecessor did. I'm not sayin P didn't leave a mess but based on what happened under Weist I'm not sure Diaco didn't just make it worse with his mad professor bit.

Weist had the personnel to put a serviceable offensive line on the field. 80% of the line turned over in 2014. Weist had what looked like a competent quarterback. Diaco had two options for 92% of the year. Neither were very appetizing, nor better than Casey Cochran. I agree. After September, Diaco needed to shut his yap about what he was left with, but Former "Coach" Pasqualoni said the same thing thought 2011 about a roster just coming off a BCS bowl and he got a lot more slack than Coach Diaco (albeit, mostly from Syracuse alumni lackeys).

It was apparent to me what Diaco was doing last year. I wish it manifested itself into more wins, but rarely do you get it both ways and you don't get to redshirt 90% of the roster. While there were pockets of talent on the roster, those pockets were not near large enough and games have to be played.

 

[freescooter]

H25, I get that but come on. We snuck by a bad 1aa team and lost to Army and an SMU team that had basically turned in their gear for the season. We didn't even show up for the last 3 games. that combined with having a team that was embarrassingly unprepared on national TV against BYU to open the season make me very doubtful about where we are headed since it went downhill from there.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

H25, I get that but come on. We snuck by a bad 1aa team and lost to Army and an SMU team that had basically turned in their gear for the season. We didn't even show up for the last 3 games. that combined with having a team that was embarrassingly unprepared on national TV against BYU to open the season make me very doubtful about where we are headed since it went downhill from there.

You cant have it both ways. You can't both acknowledge he managed the season like one would a JV squad and then criticizing loosing to Army, SMU... etc. He chose an extraordinary path, lets see the results.

 

[CL82]

You cant have it both ways. You can't both acknowledge he managed the season like one would a JV squad and then criticizing loosing to Army, SMU... etc. He chose an extraordinary path, lets see the results.

Or he rationalized as a justification for a potential a losing season. I'm still not sure which is correct.

 

[Perfect Hair]

??? I didn't write the article. I'm quite sure the damage is done and can be easily found by those seeking out info.

Wasn't picking on you, I totally agree with you that this makes us look like buffoons. Earlier in the thread my chief nemesis (who will not agree that today is Thursday unless Confident Carl says so) disagreed with us and says no one reads these sites etc

 

[Husky25]

H25, I get that but come on. We snuck by a bad 1aa team and lost to Army and an SMU team that had basically turned in their gear for the season. We didn't even show up for the last 3 games. that combined with having a team that was embarrassingly unprepared on national TV against BYU to open the season make me very doubtful about where we are headed since it went downhill from there.

Much like last year's team was not the same team that won 3 games in a row at the end of 2013, this years team will not be the same as last year's. The turnover from 2013 to 2014 was more in the form of personnel. The turnover from last year is more in terms of the players' mentality, body composition, strength, knowledge, chemistry, and experience. Also, they should be much closer to the FBS scholarship limit, so they will have more resources. All this of which, I can't believe is anything but a net positive.

 

[Perfect Hair]

H25, I get that but come on. We snuck by a bad 1aa team and lost to Army and an SMU team that had basically turned in their gear for the season. We didn't even show up for the last 3 games. that combined with having a team that was embarrassingly unprepared on national TV against BYU to open the season make me very doubtful about where we are headed since it went downhill from there.

And you are leaving out the USF game where he gave up on offense. He, Diaco, didn't even try. Nail in coffin for me, the Army and SMU games were merely the coffin being lowered into the ground and then covered with dirt.

 

[Perfect Hair]

The seat very well may be hot with a Villanova loss. Definitely if we cough up Villanova+Army.

I'd rather play Army than Nova. Looking at it now that Army game is probably our best chance for a win in the first 6 weeks. If we lose that we very likely are going to start out 0-6. If we can show progress though and find a way to win 3 of the last 6 games he might keep his job

 

[Husky25]

Hate to break it to you, but I'd say Diaco is getting at least three years. You may want to find another team for whom to root.

 

[Perfect Hair]

Hate to break it to you, but I'd say Diaco is getting at least three years. You may want to find another team for whom to root.

First off I'm not rooting for him to fail, becasue that would mean my team is a failure, get off that soapbox please. Second, ask Charlie Molnar how that third year worked out for him. And of course you are going to tell me Diaco isn't Molnar, well please show me the differences because the similarities are pretty scary.

 

[Husky25]

First off I'm not rooting for him to fail...

I never said this. You have me confused with someone else. My comment comes from the fact that out of 159 messages, nary a one has anything even remotely positive about vis a vie UConn football...Nope, I stand corrected. On November 24, you said you liked the stable of running backs, but then you qualified your statement by saying you didn't like how they were being used. Well? Baby steps I guess.

Second, ask Charlie Molnar how that third year worked out for him. And of course you are going to tell me Diaco isn't Molnar, well please show me the differences because the similarities are pretty scary.

The differences between Coach Molnar and Coach Diaco are as wide as where they ply(ied) their craft. UMass was luke-warm at best at moving to the FBS level, their home stadium throughout Molnar's tenure was 2 1/2 hours away, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' legislature cares more about UMass-Boston and ULowell, than the "Flagship" of their public university system. Coach Diaco has already tied Molnar's total win total at UMass AND he did it with 70% of an allowable roster. Plus that whole wrestling in the snow episode was just...well...odd.

The only similarity (singular) between the two, from where I sit, is they come off the Brian Kelly coaching tree.

 

[whaler11]

Diaco is getting 3 full years even it they go 0-12. They would have to make zero progress to not get 4.